KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) combined for 47 points as the Kutztown University women's basketball team withstood a pair of second-half pushes from West Chester to defeat the Golden Rams, 76-66, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup Saturday afternoon at Keystone Arena.
 
West Chester managed to trim double-digit Golden Bear leads to a single possession twice in the final 20 minutes, but Kutztown received timely buckets each time and never trailed for its first victory over WCU in four meetings.
 
Derr and Lapkiewicz shouldered a bulk of the offensive work for Kutztown (5-7, 4-2 PSAC) and were also at the forefront of keeping the Golden Rams at bay. Derr secured her second double-double of the season with a game-high 26 points and 10 boards. Lapkiewicz went for a career-high 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including a career-best four 3-pointers (4-of-6).
 
The Golden Bears led 19-18 after a quarter before tightening up defensively in the second. West Chester (4-9, 0-6) missed its first nine shots and committed a pair of turnovers during a 7-minute, 39-second scoring drought to open the second quarter.
 
Derr scored seven points and Taylor Thames (Colmar, Pa./North Penn) had four as KU took advantage with a 15-0 run to build its lead to 34-18, with 2:38 remaining before halftime.
 
A motivated West Chester side needed just under three minutes to cut the Golden Bears' 37-27 halftime lead to two, but Lapkiewicz connected on a triple from the top of the arc to make it 40-35. Less than two minutes later, with KU up one, Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) found Derr on the right wing for another three.
 
Derr's trey with 5:40 left in the third set the hosts off on a 17-2 run. A Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) free throw at the 1:04 mark put the Golden Bears up 57-41 and matched their largest lead of the afternoon.
 
The Golden Rams wouldn't go quietly, though. Destiny Jefferson netted 12 of her team-high 24 points during an 18-7 WCU run over the first 6:15 of the fourth, pulling her team within three, 64-61.
 
Kutztown got a layup from Brianna Tarabocchia (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Northern Valley Regional (Saint Peter's)) and the last of Lapkiewicz's four 3-pointers on its next two possessions to increase its lead to seven with 3:11 to go. The Golden Bears would seal it by making 5-of-6 at the charity stripe in the final 33 seconds.
 
Derr topped 20 points for a fourth straight game and finished two points shy of tying her career-high of 28, set back on Nov. 14 at Georgian Court. The sophomore guard from Lititz has connected on at least one 3-pointer in 34 consecutive games and has multiple treys in five straight after knocking down three on Saturday.
 
Lapkiewicz had six rebounds to go along with her career-high scoring output. Wright added seven points and seven boards, and Kalee Fuegel (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) posted game-highs of six assists and five steals.
 
Jefferson paced WCU with 24 points and five assists before fouling out in the waning seconds. Gabrielle Troisi and Madison Torresin each followed with 11.
 
Kutztown shot 42.4% (25-of-59) for the game and was stellar at the foul line, converting 18-of-22 attempts (81.8%). The Golden Bears won the battle on the boards, 40-28, and came up with 12 steals on 20 Golden Ram giveaways.
 
The Golden Bears wrap up a brief two-game homestand on Wednesday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m. against Holy Family.